Spring tug-fastener



(No Model.) 3

L. H. NUSBAUM.

I SPRING TUG FASTENERf No. 337,347. Patented Mar. 2, 1886.

flliffifif/W 1.7V VEJV TOR I V v Attorneys- N4 PETERS, FhohrLflhcgnpher. Washington. D. C-

" siren STATES PATENT tries.

LEVI H. NUSBAUM, OF GOSHEN, INDIANA.

SPRING TUG-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 337,347,dated March 2, 3.886

Application filed December 12, 1885. Serial No. 185,471. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVI H. NUSBAUM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Goshen, in the county of Elkhart and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Tug-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my improved spring tug or trace fastener. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a slight modification.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures. My invention has relation to that class of spring-fasteners for tugs or traces in which a coiled spring is compressed when strain is exerted upon the tug or trace; and it consists in the improved construction and combination of parts of the same, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, the letterA indicates a portion of the tug or trace to which the fasteneris secured, and which portion may be at either end of the tug or trace, as desired, and B is a rectangular casing having perforated lips G O at the ends of its widest sides, by means of which lips'the casing is secured to the tug or trace by bolts or rivets D, or any other suitable means. The outer end of the casing is formed with a perforation, E,'in which slides a bolt, F, having a hook or eye, G, at its outer end and a screw-thread, H, at its inner end, and a U-shaped frame, I, having a corresponding perforation, J, in its central portion, is placed within the outer closed end of the casing, forming shoulders K K at the narrow sides of the casing. The ends of the narrow sides L L of the casing are bent inward, forming shoulders or flanges M, and a nut, N, corresponding in shape to the crosssection of the casing, is secured upon the inner screw-threaded end of the hooked or eyed bolt, and confines a coiled spring, 0, wrapped around the bolt and bearing with its ends against the nut and against the perforated portion of the U-shaped frame.

In Fig. 3 the shoulders are shown provided with blocks P and Q, secured upon them, and these blocks, which are elastic, being composed of rubber or similar yielding material, will serve to cushion the shock of the nut striking either of the shoulders.

It will be seen that when a strain is exerted upon the tug or trace, the hooked or eyed bolt will be drawn outward, the nut of the bolt compressing the spring,and thespring will in this manner break the sudden shock which may occur either by the abrupt starting of. the horse or by the wheels of the vehicle striking an obstruction, thus protecting the horse as well as the vehicle and its occupants.

It will be seen that the shoulders formed by the U-shaped frame within the casing will prevent thespring from being compressed beyond its limit, and from being subjected to too great a strain when the hooked or eyed bolt is drawn outward by a heavy pull upon the tug or trace.

The device may be placed at either end of the tug or trace, and the bolt will be formed with a hook or an eye at its outer end, as it is desired to secure the device permanently or detachably or according to the shape of the object with which it is to be engaged.

I am aware that it is not new to make spring tug-fasteners by securing a spring between one end of a hook which passes through the spring and the end of a casing, and I do not claim such construction, broadly; but

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. The combination of a casing, one end of 0 which is open and has its sides at that end projecting to form lips, a U-shaped blOck secured at the other end of said casing, a rod passing through apertures in the end of the casing and said block, the outer end of which 5 is provided with a hook and the inner end with a nut fitting and sliding within said casing, and a spring around said rod between said nut and said U-shaped block, as shown and described.

2. The combination,with a U-shaped block having an aperture in its middle portion and a piece of elastic material secured upon the In testimony that I claim the foregoing as inner end of each arm, of a casing open at my own I have hereunto affixed my signature [0 one end and an aperture at the other end, a I in the presence of two Witnesses. rod passing through said apertures and hav- T T i \1. 5 mg a hook upon lts outer end, and a nut se- H \LSBAUL cured upon its inner end, and a spring around Witnesses:

l said rod, between said plate and sa1d U-shaped l MITCHELL GHORNLEY,

l EDWIN L. BILLINGS.

block, as shown and described. 

